Tales tell that the original creator decided that personally creating the gods was just "too much work". Thus, it decided to create a Polarity Crystal, letting anyone with enough enthusiasm, skill, and luck become a god. In order to prevent an overflow of deities, the Polarity Crystal explodes every time it is used. Of course, this explanation is probably hogwash.

Glowing with power, Polarity Shards are powerful items that grant useful bonuses when embedded in a subject's flesh or weapon. Their very existence wreaks havoc across the world, as characters claim them and do major acts of heroism or depravity to realign the Shard's alignment with their own.

The alignment of a Polarity Shard is measured as a pair of numerical values: an ethical value with good being positive and evil being negative, and a moral value with lawful being positive and chaotic being negative. The alignments of all Polarity Shards any individual character uses are identical; When a character equips a Polarity Shard, the alignments among the different shards are averaged together.

A character cannot shift a Polarity Shard's alignment beyond 10 points per level away from Neutral (Thus, a level 4 character with -40/27 Shards who slaughtered a village because he was told to do so would end up with his Shards having an alignment like -40/30, not -50/30). When a character does an action that shifts the alignment of his Polarity Shards, the alignment shift is the same value independent of the number of Shards (A character who slaughters a village shifts all of his Shards 10 points towards evil, whether he possesses 1 or 27).

In general, any action which makes people angry or sad shifts the Polarity Shard towards evil. Minor evil actions, like stealing or lying for personal gain shift the Shard about 1 point towards evil. Major evil actions, like murdering an important character or annihilating a village, shift the Shard about 10 points towards evil. Incredibly evil actions, like destroying a planet, shift the Shard about 50 points towards evil.

In general, any action which makes people happy or healthy shifts the Polarity Shard towards good, as does any action which requires personal sacrifice without care for reward. Minor good actions, like feeding the poor or rescuing people when it's convenient shift the Shard about 1 point towards good. Major good actions, like going into a burning building or dragon's lair (assuming that such things pose a risk of death to you) in order to rescue someone, shift the Shard about 10 points towards good. Incredibly good actions like martyring yourself in an irredeemable fashion shift the Shard about 50 points towards good.

In general, any action which gives people more freedoms and fewer duties shifts the Polarity Shard towards chaotic. Minor chaotic actions, like forgetting to pay for something, giving someone stolen goods, or driving someone insane shift the Shard about 1 point towards chaotic. Major chaotic actions, like overthrowing a government or convincing an important character to give up on their ideals, shift the Shard about 10 points towards chaotic. Incredibly chaotic actions like destroying a law of physics or annihilating an important god shift the Shard about 50 points towards chaotic.

In general, any action which gives people a sense of security or purpose shifts the Polarity Shard towards lawful. Minor lawful actions, like arresting someone or obeying an order despite one's own best judgment shift the Shard about 1 point towards lawful. Major lawful actions, like establishing a government or risking your life or freedom for the benefit of your own group or nation, shift the Shard about 10 points towards lawful. Incredibly lawful actions like creating a law of physics or sealing an important god into a chamber that can't be opened for a hundred years shift the Shard about 50 points towards lawful.

Now for the benefits: Shards can be stuck into all sorts of places, granting bonuses depending on the alignment of the Shard.

Table: Ethical Bonuses

Location

Pure Evil (-100 or less)

Evil (-40 to -99.9)

Bad (-10 to -39.9)

Neutral (-9.9 to 9.9)

Nice (10 to 39.9)

Good (40 to 99.9)

Pure Good (100 or more)

1 on each arm

Gain two 2d8 damage Claw attacks with a poison that deals 1d6 primary and secondary Wisdom damage, with a DC 3 points higher than normal

As a standard action, you may deal 1d6 damage per Hit Die to everything in a 90 foot cone, with a Reflex save (DC 10 + half hit dice + Charisma modifier) for half damage.

As a standard action, you may deal 1d6 damage per Hit Die to everything in a 70 foot line and a 20 foot radius area at the end of that line, with a Reflex save (DC 10 + half hit dice + Charisma modifier) for half damage.

As a standard action, you may deal 1d6 damage per Hit Die to everything in a 50 foot line, with a Reflex save (DC 10 + half hit dice + Charisma modifier) for half damage.

As a standard action, you may deal 1d6 damage per Hit Die to a target within 30 feet, with a Reflex save (DC 10 + half hit dice + Charisma modifier) for half damage.

Get a +3 Insight bonus to Spot and Sense Motive checks

Get a +6 Insight bonus to Spot and Sense Motive checks

Get a +12 Insight bonus to Spot and Sense Motive checks

1 on each wing

You get a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution, your flight maneuverability improves one step, and you get a +8 bonus to Intimidate checks

You get a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution and your flight maneuverability improves one step

You get a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution

Get a +5 foot enhancement bonus to fly speed

Get a +10 foot enhancement bonus to fly speed

Get a +20 foot enhancement bonus to fly speed

Get a +40 foot enhancement bonus to fly speed

1 on tail

Gain a 2d8 damage Tail Slam attack that allows you to initiate a trip attempt when it deals damage, can be used as a free extra attack in a charge, and may fling any targets hit by it a number of feet equal to the amount of damage it deals.

Gain a 1d12 damage Tail Slam attack that allows you to initiate a trip attempt when it deals damage and can be used as a free extra attack in a charge.

Gain a 1d10 damage Tail Slam attack that allows you to initiate a trip attempt when it deals damage.

Weapon has a +2 enhancement bonus and gives you 1d6 temporary hit points that stack with other Polarity Shard temporary hit points whenever it deals damage

Weapon has a +1 enhancement bonus

Weapon has a +2 enhancement bonus and deals 1d6 extra points of damage against Evil targets

Weapon has a +3 enhancement bonus, deals 2d6 extra points of damage against Evil targets, and casts dispel magic as an area effect centered on a target you attacked that only dispels Evil spells and evil summoned creatures whenever you take a standard or full round action to attack. The dispel magic effect has a caster level equal to your hit dice.

Weapon has a +4 enhancement bonus, deals 4d6 extra points of damage against Evil targets, and casts dispel magic as an area effect centered on a target you attacked that only dispels Evil spells and evil summoned creatures whenever you take a standard or full round action to attack. The dispel magic effect has a caster level equal to your hit dice. In addition, any evil outsiders struck by this weapon must make a Will save (DC 10 + half hit dice + Charisma modifier) or be banished to another plane of their choice.

1 in soul (placed inside your body by a character in the Ethereal plane)

Passing within 30' of an unattended Shard or Shard with an owner who is lower level than you makes that Shard's alignment instantly become the same as your own.

When you hit someone with a melee attack, their Shards shift in alignment towards that of your own Shards' alignment along each axis a number of points equal to the damage dealt.

With a full-round action, you can touch a Shard to shift its alignment to that of your own Shards

With 1 minute of deep meditation, you can touch a Shard to shift its alignment to that of your own Shards

With a full-round action, you can touch a Shard to shift its alignment to that of your own Shards

When you hit someone with a melee attack, their Shards shift in alignment towards that of your own Shards' alignment along each axis a number of points equal to the damage dealt.

Passing within 30' of an unattended Shard or Shard with an owner who is lower level than you makes that Shard's alignment instantly become the same as your own.

Table: Moral Bonuses

Location

Pure Chaotic (-100 or less)

Chaotic (-40 to -99.9)

Naughty (-10 to -39.9)

Neutral (-9.9 to 9.9)

Orderly (10 to 39.9)

Lawful (40 to 99.9)

Pure Lawful (100 or more)

1 on each arm

Get a +8 enhancement bonus to Dexterity

Get a +4 enhancement bonus to Dexterity

Get a +2 enhancement bonus to Dexterity

Get a +1 enhancement bonus to Dexterity

Gain Spell Resistance equal to 6 + your hit dice

Gain Spell Resistance equal to 11 + your hit dice

Gain Spell Resistance equal to 16 + your hit dice

1 on each leg

When you take a 5 foot step, you may move 40 feet.

When you take a 5 foot step, you may move 20 feet.

When you take a 5 foot step, you may move 10 feet.

Get a +2 bonus to ability checks to resist being Bull Rushed or Tripped while standing firmly on the ground.

Get a +4 bonus to ability checks to resist being Bull Rushed or Tripped while standing firmly on the ground.

Get a +8 bonus to ability checks to resist being Bull Rushed or Tripped while standing firmly on the ground.

Get a +16 bonus to ability checks to resist being Bull Rushed or Tripped while standing firmly on the ground.

1 on chest

You are immune to death effects, ability drain, ability damage, and negative levels. You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe.

You don't need to eat, drink, or breathe.

You don't need to breathe.

Get a +1 enhancement bonus to Constitution

Get a +2 enhancement bonus to Constitution

Get a +4 enhancement bonus to Constitution

Get a +8 enhancement bonus to Constitution

1 on head

Get a +12 bonus to Bluff checks

Get a +6 bonus to Bluff checks

Get a +3 bonus to Bluff checks

Get a +1 bonus to Knowledge checks, and treat all Knowledge skills as trained.

Get a +3 bonus to Knowledge checks, and treat all Knowledge skills as trained.

Get a +6 bonus to Knowledge checks, and treat all Knowledge skills as trained.

Get a +12 bonus to Knowledge checks, and treat all Knowledge skills as trained.

1 on each wing

Allies on the same plane as you (not including yourself) get a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls.

Allies within 1 mile of you (not including yourself) get a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls.

Allies within 200 feet of you (not including yourself) get a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls.

Allies within 30 feet of you (not including yourself) get a +1 morale bonus to AC (not including touch or flat-footed AC).

Allies within 200 feet of you (not including yourself) get a +1 morale bonus to AC (not including touch or flat-footed AC).

Allies within 1 mile of you (not including yourself) get a +1 morale bonus to AC (not including touch or flat-footed AC).

Allies on the same plane as you (not including yourself) get a +1 morale bonus to AC (not including touch or flat-footed AC).

1 on tail

Get a Tail attack that can only be used to take Attacks of Opportunity. It can make 4 Attacks of Opportunity per round, has a 20' reach, and deals 2d8 damage.

Get a Tail attack that can only be used to take Attacks of Opportunity. It can make 2 Attacks of Opportunity per round, has a 15' reach, and deals 2d6 damage.

Get a Tail attack that can only be used to take Attacks of Opportunity. It can make 1 Attack of Opportunity per round, has a 10' reach, and deals 1d10 damage.

Any ally you grant soft cover to gains concealment.

Any ally you grant soft cover to gains concealment, and you count as occupying all squares adjacent to you for the purpose of granting soft cover.

Any ally you grant soft cover to gains concealment, you count as occupying all squares within 10 feet of you for the purpose of granting soft cover, and the soft cover you grant cannot be ignored.

Any ally you grant soft cover to gains concealment, you count as occupying all squares within 15 feet of you for the purpose of granting soft cover, the soft cover you grant cannot be ignored, and allies within this range cannot be flanked.

1 on weapon

Weapon has a +4 enhancement bonus, deals 4d6 points of damage to a random enemy other than the target within 30' of the target whenever it hits, and confuses any target hit by it for 1 round unless they pass a Will save (DC 10 + half hit dice + Charisma modifier)

Weapon has a +3 enhancement bonus, deals 2d6 points of damage to a random enemy other than the target within 30' of the target whenever it hits, and confuses any target hit by it with a critical hit for 1 round unless they pass a Will save (DC 10 + half hit dice + Charisma modifier)

Weapon has a +2 enhancement bonus and deals 1d6 points of damage to a random enemy other than the target within 30' of the target whenever it hits.

Weapon has a +1 enhancement bonus

Weapon has a +2 enhancement bonus and deals 1d6 extra points of damage against Chaotic targets

Weapon has a +3 enhancement bonus, deals 2d6 extra points of damage against Chaotic targets, and casts dispel magic as an area effect centered on a target you attacked that only dispels Chaotic spells and chaotic summoned creatures whenever you take a standard or full round action to attack. The dispel magic effect has a caster level equal to your hit dice.

Weapon has a +4 enhancement bonus, deals 4d6 extra points of damage against Chaotic targets, and casts dispel magic as an area effect centered on a target you attacked that only dispels Chaotic spells and chaotic summoned creatures whenever you take a standard or full round action to attack. The dispel magic effect has a caster level equal to your hit dice. In addition, any chaotic outsiders struck by this weapon must make a Will save (DC 10 + half hit dice + Charisma modifier) or be banished to another plane of their choice.

1 in soul (placed inside your body by a character in the Ethereal plane)

Passing within 30' of an unattended Shard or Shard with an owner who is lower level than you makes that Shard's alignment instantly become the same as your own.

When you hit someone with a melee attack, their Shards shift in alignment towards that of your own Shards' alignment along each axis a number of points equal to the damage dealt.

With a full-round action, you can touch a Shard to shift its alignment to that of your own Shards

With 1 minute of deep meditation, you can touch a Shard to shift its alignment to that of your own Shards

With a full-round action, you can touch a Shard to shift its alignment to that of your own Shards

When you hit someone with a melee attack, their Shards shift in alignment towards that of your own Shards' alignment along each axis a number of points equal to the damage dealt.

Passing within 30' of an unattended Shard or Shard with an owner who is lower level than you makes that Shard's alignment instantly become the same as your own.

Equipping and Unequipping Shards: Applying or removing a Shard is a standard action. Removing a Shard from someone else can be done during a grapple with a standard action and a successful Strength or Dexterity check (each character chooses Strength or Dexterity separately).

Recreate the Polarity Crystal!: If a character possesses all 50 of the Polarity Shards, and the Shards have the same alignment as they do, that character can become a Lesser Deity. Doing so shatters the Polarity Crystal, scattering the Polarity Shards across the world.

Anti-Deific Field: In order to prevent the gods from simply making Polarity Crystal-recreation impossible, all of the Polarity Shards are protected from direct interference. Deities cannot observe or interact with anything within 1 mile of any Polarity Shards. As a side effect of this, all characters with a Wisdom of 3 or greater can identify whether or not there are any Polarity Shards within 1 mile.